Death of Otávio Jordão da Silva

Otávio Jordão da Silva Cantanhede

Otávio Jordão da Silva Cantanhede, a Brazilian amateur football referee,^[1] was lynched, quartered and beheaded by football spectators after he stabbed a player in a match he officiated on June 30, 2013.^[2][3]

Incident

On June 30, 2013, Otávio was refereeing an amateur football match at Pio XII, in Maranhão, Brazil.^[4][5] Otávio sent off player Josemir Santos Abreu, 31, who refused to leave the field and began a fight with the referee. Abreu threw a punch, which prompted Otávio to draw a knife from his pocket and repeatedly stab Abreu. Abreu died on the way to the hospital.^[2][6] When fans watching the game, including Santos' friends and family, found out about the death of Santos,^[7] they invaded the pitch^[8] and stoned Cantanhede, before decapitating him, quartering him,^[9] and putting his head on a stake in the pitch.^{[2][10][11][12][13]} Police chief Valter Costa was quoted as saying "One crime will never justify another".^[2][14]

Suspects

One suspect was arrested.^[3] However, police were searching for two more people,^[6] including Santos' brother.^[15]

Viral video

A graphic video surfaced online shortly following the incident that shows medical personnel reassembling Otávio's body.^[16]

Response

In October 2013, former Brazilian soccer player João Rodrigo Silva Santos, 35, was beheaded and his head was dumped on his front doorstep. He had been abducted the night before by two men who forced him into a vehicle.

The double murder in Maranhão, Brazil and the second soccer related beheading in less than a year has led to questions regarding the safety of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.^[4][17]

References

1. "Fans decapitate soccer referee after he stabs, kills player:police". NY Daily News. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
2. "Brazil referee decapitated after stabbing player". BBC News. 7 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
3. "Brazilian Referee Beheaded by Fans for Killing Player". International Business Times. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
4. "Brazilian mob decapitates soccer referee after he stabs player". NewsWires. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
5. "Brazilian football referee stoned to death, body hacked by fans: report". NDTV. 7 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
6. "Referee beheaded after killing player". ESPN. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
7. Haine, Will. "Player & referee murdered after match in Brazil". Give me Sport. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
8. "Soccer referee decapitated after stabbing player to death in Brazil". USA Today. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
9. "Fans kill and quarter soccer referee in Brazil". Boston Herald. 7 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
10. "Brazilian Soccer Fans Decapitate Ref After He Stabs, Kills Player". Deadspin. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
11. "Brazilian soccer ref beheaded by fans after fatally stabbing player". MSN Now. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
12. "Decapitated Referee Otavio da Silva Quartered For Killing Josenir Abreu". LaLate News. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
13. "Fans kill and quarter football referee in Brazil". WTSP. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
14. "Brazil football referee beheaded after stabbing player to death". RT. 7 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
15. "Barbarie: un árbitro mató a un jugador y fue asesinado por los hinchas". Toda Pasion. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
16. Price, Greg (July 7, 2013). Referee Beheaded During Amateur Match In Brazil "Soccer Referee Beheaded During Amateur Match In Brazil" Check |url= value (help). International Business Times.
17. Kaiser, Anna Jean (November 2, 2013). "Beheadings raised concerns of violence in Brazil". http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/worldcup/2013/11/01/world-cup-brazil-rio-de-janeiro-crime/3353599/. External link in |newspaper= (help)